Eric Wodening - Anglo Saxon Heathendom and Icelandic Asatru (copyrighted book, review only)
The ancient Germanic peoples essentially followed the same religion. Nearly all of them appear to have worshipped the major gods known to us from Norse mythology - Odinn, PorR, FreyR, and so on. They also believed in many of the same "spirits" or wights--elves dwarves, thurses, and so on. They held various festivals, rituals, and customs in common. This is not to say that there were not differences among the tribes in their religious customs and beliefs. There was always some variation in religious practices and beliefs amon... More >>>Book can't be downloaded.
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The ancient Germanic peoples essentially followed the same religion. Nearly all of them appear to have worshipped the major gods known to us from Norse mythology - Odinn, PorR, FreyR, and so on. They also believed in many of the same "spirits" or wights--elves dwarves, thurses, and so on. They held various festivals, rituals, and customs in common. This is not to say that there were not differences among the tribes in their religious customs and beliefs. There was always some variation in religious practices and beliefs among the Germanic peoples.
Perhaps the best demonstration of both the similarities and the differences which sometimes existed in the religious beliefs of the Germanic peoples would be to examine the respective beliefs of the Anglo-Saxon and Icelandic heathen.
It must be noted right away that the ancient Germanic peoples lacked a name for their religion or its branches. An ancient Anglo-Saxon heathen if asked about his religion would probably have referred to it simply as min beodisc gelefa, "my tribe's belief." The Icelanders may have responded along similar lines, although today this ancient and modern branch of the Germanic heathen religion is called "Asatru." For simplicity's sake, we will use "Anglo-Saxon heathendom" and "Asatru" for the faiths of the ancient Anglo-Saxons and Icelanders respectively..
About Author:
Eric Wodening (author of We are Our Deeds) is brother of Swain Wodening, Englatheod founder.
In 1992, former Moody Hill Theod thrall Gert McQueen "became aware" of Swain and Eric Wodening though their writings in Idunna, a newsletter published by the Troth. The brothers Wodening had been members of the Troth since 1989 after discovering that the AFA had disbanded, and began publishing full-length articles on the subject of Anglo-Saxon heathenism in 1991.
By the latter part of 1992 McQueen was corresponding regularly with the Wodenings and by 1993 both Eric and Swain were members of Winland Rice and founders of Wednesbury Shire. Eric and Swain became highly influential figures in Theodism. Coming to Theodism from an Asatru background, the Wodenings introduced reconstructionism to the Theods as well as a deeper, more philosophical understanding of the lore. In 1996, Swain Wodening and Winifred Hodge founded the Angelseaxisce Ealdriht, and Eric founded Englatheod in 2007.
The Angelseaxisce Ealdriht grew to become the largest Theodish organization in the world, largely due to it's numerous reforms of traditional Theodism and ability to continuously evolve. However, an internal struggle between the Noweanglia and rest groups, the Ealdriht's two largest, caused the Noweanglia group to break away and become the independent Noweanglia theod. Subsequently, the Ealdriht dissolved and the remaining groups became the Miercinga Rice. Noweanglia theod was the first Mercian theod, 'arriving at a Merican thew by the reduction of Saxon elements and thus tying themselves to East Anglia'.
Source: wicca.com
